Philosophy of Classroom Management

 What is my Classroom Management Philosophy?

What Kind of classroom will I teach?

I will teach in a compassionate classroom. A classroom where both students and teachers treat one another with respect and value one anothers stories. Students will be encouraged to do their best, and to think of mistakes as learning oppourtunities. A compassionate classroom uses student experiences, knowledge, and voices as the backbone of classroom community. Students will be empathetic, and understand how their actions affect themselves and others (Block, 2013). Social-emotional learning is an imperative component to these goals, and therefore will be a priority in my classroom. I will educate my students on the importance of personal regulation, and we will practice these strategies on a daily basis. My classroom will value restorative justice practices that provide students with proper conflict resolution strategies and practice. Restorative practices in turn create a stronger classroom community and alleviating the root causes for unwanted behavior. A classroom where students can resolve their own conflicts and respect one another can focus on learning in the classroom. When students work together, the classroom becomes a place of exploration, experience, and oppourtunity. 

What tools will I use?

(Examples From: Joshua Block, Rachel Jorgensen, Jamie Silverman and Molly Mee. The articles and links can be found at the bottom of the page.)

1. Individual Check-In: Each day it is important that you speak with students individually. Asking them about their weekend, their new shirt, pets, and anything personal to them. These small interactions show students that you see them, and that their experiences and personal interests are important to you. Some mornings you can greet students individually, or you can encourage students to share good news with you. Either way, students feel important and enjoy speaking with you. Knowing student interests and home lives can contribute to the creation of engaging lessons (Block, 2013). 

2. Creating Customized Scenarios: When students are having a specific, continuous problem, it may be helpful to create scenarios in which students can practice conflict resolution. If students are struggling to find ways to solve problems where both parties understand the consequences, changes, or solutions, creating scenarios for small groups provides these strategies. When the problems are specific to your classroom, students feel connected to the content and this in turn creates increased focus on the activity. Practice with this activity is important to ensure that students can remember and use these strategies independently (Jorgensen, 2023).

3. Showing Confidence in Student Abilities: Trusting your students and expressing your confidence in their work provides them with encouragement that in turn grows the bond between your students and teachers. Teachers must keep high expectations for their students while also stating that mistakes are learning opportunities. If you expect high success from your students, they will assume this is because you know they can do it. The term 'Warm-Demander' is often used to describe this strategy. To be a warm demander means that you keep high expectations while keeping a kind and encouraging attitude and demeanor (Block, 2013).

4. Community or Classroom Circle: Classroom circles provide students with opportunities to learn about one another while also conversing about classroom issues and possible solutions. These circles can be whole groups or small. Students who are in conflict resolution can use these circles to discuss issues and solutions. Whole group circles can be used to highlight classroom goals, 'grows and glows', as well as conflict resolution. Students must get time to share their thoughts without others talking. This way students see that their voice is valued, and their ideas are important. Giving students individual talk time also displays an example of respect in the classroom (Silverman, 2018).

5. Discussion Questions and Knowing Your Audience: It is important that before our classroom or restorative circles, we start by asking students questions that allow us to know them better. You must start with lighter, less personal questions. Then move into deeper questions that commence the restorative circle process. Proper conversations can not be had without understanding what students are bringing with them to these circles. If students respond poorly to certain topics, or have little confidence, may need different approaches to a restorative circle. These questions also provide us with important information about our students that can also be used to create lessons, readings, and activities that are more engaging and less triggering (Jorgensen, 2023).

How can i help diverse learners?

(Examples From: Barbara Allison and Marsha Rehm. The journal can be found at the bottom of the page in the 'References' section.)

1. Visuals: Visuals help students of all backgrounds connect to, and understand concepts that may be difficult in writing. Visuals are accessible to most if not all students, and can be a great tool in helping diverse learners in a classroom. Whether that be with English as a second language students or students with disabilities, visuals are beneficial. Visual content can include, pictures and videos (Allison & Rehm, 2007). 

2. Peer and Partner Work: Partnerships are created with two students of different backgrounds and academic abilities. Students whose first language is not English will benefit from continued practice with a partner who speaks English fluently. Other partnerships could include students with disabilities and those without. Social interactions and behavior norms can be mirrored by these students. Both partners gain from one another's experiences and abilities. When students become more comfortable with each other over time, they then build a relationship with someone in their class or school community. Relationship building between students of different backgrounds can also encourage acceptance and inclusion in a school community (Allison & Rehm, 2007).

3. Alternative Assessments: Offering alternatives to student assessments is important to both English as a second language students, as well as students with disabilities. Not every student in your classroom may speak English fluently, or have the fine motor skills to write an essay. Therefore, we need to be flexible and create assessments that are accessible to all students. For example, projects, demonstrations, and performance-based assessments are shown to be effective when assessing diverse learners. This way, I can evaluate my student's abilities, while also providing them with a comfortable, achievable medium of assessment. It is unfair to assume that all students are going to show their learning in the same way. So, we must offer these alternatives to truly see our student's growth and development (Allison & Rehm, 2007).